Antibody Production

Antibody Production - Natural Defense System

antibody production

Antibody is very important part of white cell which protects human body from damage done by various antigens. Antibody produced by the immune system in the response to the presence of antigens in the human body. The immune system is the body's natural defense system. These antigens can be Bacteria, Bacterial Toxins, Viruses, or other Cells or Protein.

Antibody, also called immunoglobulin is specific glycoprotein configurations produced by B-lymphocytes and plasma cells in response to a specific antigen and capable of reacting with that antigen. Humoral Immunity refers to the antibody production in response to an antigen. These antibody molecules circulate in the blood and enter the tissue via inflammation. The antibody attaches or binds to the antigen and inactivates it.

There are 5 general steps antibody production in response to an antigen

1. The antigen must encounter the B-lymphocytes, T4-lymphocytes, and antigen presenting cells or APCs needed to carry out humoral immunity.

2. Naive B-lymphocytes and T4-lymphocytes must recognize epitopes of an antigen by means of antigen-specific receptor molecules on their surface and become activated. This is known as clonal selection.

3. After the naive B-lymphocytes and naive T4-lymphocytes bind their corresponding epitopes, they must proliferate into large clones of identical cells in order to mount a successful immune response against that antigen. This is known as clonal expansion.

4. The large clones of identical B-lymphocytes and T4-lymphocytes now differentiate into effector cells capable of directing body defenses against the original antigen resulting in its destruction or neutralization.

In addition, in the case of systemic infections or vaccinations where the antigens enter the bloodstream, plasma cells migrate to the bone marrow where they may continue to secrete antibody for months or years after the antigen has been eliminated.